First Time Home Buyer Ireland: Grants, Deposits & Schemes Guide

If you’re saving for your first home in Ireland, the mix of grants and schemes can seem like a maze. Between Help to Buy, the First Home Scheme, and local authority options, it’s easy to feel lost. But Ireland has built a solid support system that can put up to €30,000 directly into your deposit fund — and combined with shared equity, you could cover nearly half the purchase price.

Minimum deposit for first-time buyers in Ireland: 10% of purchase price ·
Help to Buy grant maximum: €30,000 ·
First Home Scheme maximum equity share: 30% of property value ·
Stamp duty for first-time buyers (up to €1M): 1% ·
Average first-time buyer mortgage approval: €250,000 (approx.)

Five key figures define the playing field for first-time buyers in Ireland. The state has built a layered system, but each layer comes with its own limits.

How much deposit do I need as a first-time buyer in Ireland?

The short answer: 10% of the purchase price is the baseline, set by both lenders and the First Home Scheme rules. On a typical €300,000 home, that’s €30,000 — but state supports can slash that out-of-pocket figure.

Standard deposit requirement (10%)

Borrowers must put down at least 10% of the property price. The First Home Scheme (government-backed shared equity scheme) makes this a hard condition: applicants must have a minimum 10% deposit before the scheme can step in. For self-builds, equity in the land can count toward that requirement.

Deposit calculation for a 300k house

On a €300,000 new build eligible for both Help to Buy and First Home Scheme, the deposit required is €30,000 (10%). Help to Buy can refund up to €30,000 in tax paid, effectively covering that entire deposit if you have enough income tax history. If you use both schemes, the First Home Scheme equity share is capped at 20% (down from 30%), but your out-of-pocket cash could still be very low.

What grants are available for first-time buyers in Ireland?

Ireland doesn’t offer a single first-time buyer grant. Instead, three major state supports work together, each targeting a different part of the affordability challenge.

Help to Buy grant

The Bank of Ireland (major Irish lender) describes Help to Buy as a government incentive that refunds a portion of income tax and Deposit Interest Retention Tax (DIRT) paid in the four years before your application. The maximum rebate is the lesser of €30,000, 10% of the property value, or the income tax and DIRT you actually paid. The scheme applies only to new homes costing €500,000 or less.

First Home Scheme

The First Home Scheme (government-backed shared equity scheme) is a shared equity arrangement. It can fund up to 30% of the purchase price for new homes and self-builds. If you also use Help to Buy, that cap reduces to 20%. The scheme requires a minimum 10% deposit, and applicants must be over 18, be first-time buyers or other eligible homebuyers, and have mortgage approval from a participating lender.

Local authority affordable purchase schemes

Bank of Ireland (major Irish lender) notes that the Local Authority Affordable Purchase Scheme helps first-time buyers and some others on moderate incomes buy new homes at reduced prices. Separately, the Local Authority Purchase and Renovation Loan extends the Local Authority Home Loan to include derelict or uninhabitable homes, helping buyers who can’t get funding from banks.

The pattern: Help to Buy covers the deposit, First Home Scheme covers a big chunk of the price, and local authority schemes fill the remaining gaps for those in specific situations. The trade-off: Help to Buy only works for new builds, and First Home Scheme’s equity stake must eventually be repaid or refinanced.

What am I entitled to as a first-time buyer?

Entitlements vary by income, property type, and location. Here’s what the state guarantees.

Help to Buy entitlement

As a first-time buyer, you’re entitled to a refund of income tax and DIRT paid over the previous four years, up to €30,000, provided you’re buying a new home costing €500,000 or less. The Bank of Ireland (major Irish lender) confirms that the refund is designed to help with the deposit.

First Home Scheme entitlement

The First Home Scheme (government-backed shared equity scheme) is available for any first-time buyer (and some other eligible homebuyers) purchasing a new home or self-build anywhere in the Republic of Ireland. The scheme takes up to 30% equity (20% if also using Help to Buy), with no interest on that equity for the first five years. After five years, a service charge applies, and the equity must be repaid when you sell or at the end of the mortgage term.

What are the costs of buying a home in Ireland?

Beyond the deposit, buyers face additional fees. The two biggest are deposit and stamp duty (1% for first-time buyers on homes up to €1M, according to Citizens Information (official state service)). Legal fees, surveyors, and valuation costs add thousands more, but exact amounts depend on the property and provider.

Stamp duty

First-time buyers pay only 1% stamp duty on the first €1M of a home’s price. On a €300,000 property, that’s €3,000 — a fraction of the standard rate non-first-time buyers pay on higher-value homes. The Citizens Information (official state service) provides the full breakdown.

Legal and surveyor fees

Legal fees typically range €1,500–€2,500, and a surveyor will charge around €300–€500 for a structural assessment. These are not covered by any state grant, so budget for them alongside the deposit. Exact figures are based on industry averages.

What this means: On a €300,000 home, upfront costs beyond the deposit add up to roughly €5,000–€7,000 (stamp duty, legal, survey). That’s on top of the €30,000 deposit. Even with Help to Buy covering the deposit, you still need several thousand in cash for fees.

How do the Help to Buy and First Home Scheme work?

Both schemes are administered by the state, but they work differently. Understanding the mechanics helps you maximise the benefit.

Help to Buy eligibility and application

You apply to the Revenue Commissioners online. The scheme refunds income tax and DIRT you’ve paid in the four tax years before your application. The Bank of Ireland (major Irish lender) stresses that the home must be a new build (or self-build) and must not exceed €500,000 in value. The refund is capped at €30,000 or 10% of the price, whichever is lower, and cannot exceed the tax you’ve actually paid.

First Home Scheme equity process

The First Home Scheme (government-backed shared equity scheme) buys a stake in your home (up to 30%) in exchange for reducing the price you pay. You own the full title, but the State has a charge over the property for the equity amount. No interest or service charge applies for the first five years. After that, an annual service charge of 1.75% of the equity amount kicks in. You can repay the equity at any time, and you must repay it when you sell the home or at the end of the mortgage term.

Combining both schemes

You can use Help to Buy and First Home Scheme together, but the First Home Scheme equity share drops to 20% (instead of 30%). This is because the combined state support cannot exceed the total cost gap. The First Home Scheme (government-backed shared equity scheme) makes this clear in its eligibility rules. In practice, this means a buyer using both schemes gets Help to Buy’s €30,000 deposit refund plus a 20% equity stake from First Home Scheme — enough to cover a large share of the purchase price.

How to apply for the Help to Buy and First Home Scheme: Step by step

Here’s a practical sequence for first-time buyers who want to use both schemes.

1. Build your deposit – You need at least 10% of the property price saved. The First Home Scheme (government-backed shared equity scheme) requires this deposit before it can participate.
2. Get mortgage approval – Approach a participating lender (all major banks) and obtain a formal mortgage offer. The lender will assess your income, outgoings, and credit history. Aim for up to 4 times your gross income (Central Bank of Ireland (regulator)).
3. Apply for Help to Buy – Through Revenue’s online portal, submit your application before you sign the contract. You’ll need your PPS number, details of the property, and your tax history. The refund is typically processed within a few weeks (Bank of Ireland (major Irish lender)).
4. Apply for First Home Scheme – Once you have mortgage approval, submit an application on the First Home Scheme website. You’ll need to provide proof of deposit, mortgage approval, and the property details. The scheme will then assess eligibility and issue a letter of offer (First Home Scheme (government-backed shared equity scheme)).
5. Complete the purchase – With mortgage approval, Help to Buy refund, and First Home Scheme equity in place, you can proceed to closing. Your solicitor manages the paperwork, including registering the First Home Scheme charge on the property.

The implication: the process is linear, but time-sensitive. Help to Buy must be applied for before you draw down the mortgage. First Home Scheme requires mortgage approval first. Start early — the whole process can take two to three months.

Clarity: What’s confirmed and what’s still uncertain

Given the complexity, it helps to separate clear facts from open questions. Here’s the split based on official sources.

Confirmed facts

• Help to Buy maximum refund is €30,000 (Bank of Ireland (major Irish lender))
• Help to Buy only applies to new builds up to €500,000 (Bank of Ireland (major Irish lender))
• First Home Scheme provides up to 30% equity (20% if combined with Help to Buy) (First Home Scheme (government-backed shared equity scheme))
• Minimum deposit is 10% (First Home Scheme (government-backed shared equity scheme))
• Stamp duty is 1% for first-time buyers up to €1M (Citizens Information (official state service))
• First Home Scheme launched in 2022 (First Home Scheme (government-backed shared equity scheme))
• Help to Buy began in January 2017 (Joyce & Co Solicitors (Irish legal firm))
• First Home Scheme can support renters facing Notice of Termination (First Home Scheme (government-backed shared equity scheme))

What’s uncertain

• Whether Help to Buy will be extended to second-hand homes in future budgets (Property Solicitors Dublin (legal advisory site) – notes current restrictions)
• How future budgets might change the grant amounts or income thresholds (Bank of Ireland (major Irish lender) – describes current rules with no future outlook)
• The exact timeline for processing combined applications – varies by lender and property type

Quotes from official guidance

“Help to Buy is designed to help first-time buyers with the deposit needed to buy a new house, apartment, or self-build home.”

Bank of Ireland (major Irish lender)

“The First Home Scheme helps bridge the gap between a buyer’s deposit, mortgage, and the cost of a new home.”

First Home Scheme (government-backed shared equity scheme)

“The Local Authority Affordable Purchase Scheme helps first-time buyers and some others on moderate incomes buy new homes at reduced prices.”

Bank of Ireland (major Irish lender)

The editorial takeaway: official sources consistently position these schemes as gap-fillers. They don’t make homes free, but they lower the upfront barrier for buyers who have a steady income and a realistic budget.

The bottom line on first-time buying in Ireland

Ireland’s support system is layered and, when combined correctly, can reduce a buyer’s out-of-pocket deposit to near zero on a new home up to €300,000. The key is understanding the interplay: Help to Buy covers the deposit, First Home Scheme covers a large equity share, and local authority options cover the remaining affordability gap. The biggest pitfall is not having enough income tax history to claim the full €30,000 Help to Buy refund, or buying a second-hand home (which disqualifies you from Help to Buy entirely). For the first-time buyer earning a median income and targeting a new build, the path is clear: save the 10% deposit, get mortgage approval, apply for Help to Buy, then add the First Home Scheme to cover the rest. The buyer must then manage the equity repayment when they sell or refinance.

While the Help to Buy grant and First Home Scheme reduce upfront costs, you should also review the stamp duty rules for first-time buyers in Ireland, as Ireland applies the same rates to all residential buyers, unlike the UK.

Frequently asked questions